Company's refrigerant leak rate currently under 10%, significantly below industry average of 25%

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership, voluntarily committing to reduce refrigerant emissions to minimize the impact on climate change and protect the ozone layer.

"EPA is very proud to welcome Fresh & Easy into the GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership," said Keilly Witman of EPA's Stratospheric Protection Division. "Since the program's inception a year and a half ago, GreenChill's partners have proven themselves to be leaders in reducing supermarkets' effect on the ozone layer and climate change. Fresh & Easy is a welcome addition to that effort."

According to GreenChill, the industry average for refrigerant leakage is 25%. Fresh & Easy's current leak rate is well under 10% due to advanced refrigeration technologies and the company's use of a refrigeration system alarm center and leak detection program to actively monitor and respond to refrigerant leaks quickly.

In addition to Fresh & Easy's efforts to reduce refrigerant emissions, the company also stresses energy efficiency. Energy efficient characteristics of the company's refrigeration units include:

-- Energy efficient doors on freezer and dairy doors. Utilizing triple pain glass with an anti-fog coating which eliminates the need for door heaters for icing or fogging. -- Refrigeration cases use night curtains to conserve energy while ensuring the food stays at the appropriate temperature when the stores are closed. -- LED lighting in the freezer and diary cases.

"By being thoughtful in how we operate all parts of our business, we've been able to make a significant difference in our overall environmental impact," said Fresh & Easy CEO Tim Mason. "We are always looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint - from energy efficient refrigeration units to skylight in stores to our solar panel installation on our distribution center."

Fresh & Easy has committed to build LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings, and voluntarily joined The Climate Registry to disclose its greenhouse gas emissions. The company also invested in a 500,000 square foot solar roof installation on its distribution center in Riverside which currently produces over 75% of the center's energy.

About Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market

At roughly 10,000 square feet, Fresh & Easy markets are smaller than the typical supermarket to give customers a faster, easier shopping experience. In addition to fresh, prepared meals and produce, Fresh & Easy offers everyone's favorite national brand products and household items, all at everyday low prices. More information regarding Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market can be found at www.freshandeasy.com or visit the company blog on the newsroom tab.

About GreenChill

EPA's GreenChill Partnership works with food retailers to promote green technologies, strategies, and practices that protect the ozone layer, reduce greenhouse gases, and save money. Under the agreement with the EPA, Fresh & Easy has committed to the following:

-- Requiring all new and remodeled stores to be free of ozone-depleting substances, in advance of the Clean Air Act phase-out requirements; -- Establishing a refrigerant emissions inventory and meeting annual refrigerant emissions reduction targets; and -- Developing a refrigeration management plan that lists technologies, strategies, and practices used to achieve refrigerant emissions reductions goals.

According to the EPA, GreenChill's food retail partners have refrigerant emissions rates nearly 50% lower than the EPA-estimated industry average. These partners are responsible for a reduction in refrigerant greenhouse gas emissions totaling 2.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in their first year as GreenChill partners -- equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions of 500,000 cars. In addition to the environmental benefits of their participation in GreenChill, these partners also saved almost $13 million in operating costs.

More information about the EPA's GreenChill Partnership is available at www.epa.gov/greenchill

SOURCE Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market

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